1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to awning and roof structures useful over windows, doors, or to create shade adjacent an existing building, and in particular relates to apparatus useful in mounting such structures to the roof fascia of an existing building in a water-tight manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a class of commercially available awning structures which are designed to be mounted adjacent an existing building to provide a means for creating shade adjacent the existing building in a water-tight manner. Typically, these awning structures are fabricated from extruded aluminum, fiberglass or similar lightweight material.
An example of a prior art system for mounting commercially available awning structures to the side of an existing building is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,755,522 to Tate, which teaches a longitudinal channel joined to the side of the building, and with the mounting structure for the awning including a plate which extends into the channel. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,746,537, Joslyn likewise discloses a channel arrangement for an awning structure, as does Herrich in U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,968.
Other prior art awning structures of interest are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,629,903 to Bird, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,171 to Deddo.
In the mounting of such awning structures to existing buildings, it is frequently desirable to affix one end of the awning structure to the fascia panel of the roof. It is customarily a building code requirement that roofs employ a flashing about the roof edge, which is commonly referred to as a drip edge. Prior art patents disclosing such roof structures include the following: No. 3,381,425 to Gobel; No. 3,432,976 to Berg; No. 3,093,931 to Waring; No. 3,098,322 to Greene; No. 3,404,495 to Simpson; No. 873,407 to Beil; No. 1,090,985 to Hopkins; No. 2,585,324 to Hutchisson; No. 3,024,573 to McKinley and 3,344,562 to Miles, et al.
Awning structures of the type described above have proven generally unsatisfactory for mounting against roof fascia panels, because of the proximity of the roof drip edge; that is, when the awning structure is mounted in abutment against the fascia panel, the moisture dripping from the edge of the roof frequently finds its way between the awning structure and the adjacent building, resulting in unsatisfactory moisture in the area to be protected by the awning structure.
The second problem associated with the channel-type arrangements described in the prior art references referred to above, is that such channel arrangements generally require that the member mating in the channel be installed from the end of the structure, and moved into proper position by sliding the mounting structure along the channel. However, frequently the awning structure to be installed is mounted in an area where such end-on joinder to the channel is prohibited.